The Washington County District Attorney's Office has determined that a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy was justified in shooting a 31-year-old man during a fight in Northwest Portland's Forests Heights neighborhood in June.

The shooting occurred just after 3:30 a.m. on June 20 after officers responded to a report of a fight at 1530 N.W. 88th Ave.

Two deputies found Bryan Guerrero, 31, inside the house threatening Michael Guerra, 22, with a knife.

Guerrero and Guerra were visiting the residence, about a quarter mile northwest of the intersection of Northwest Cornell and Miller roads. The two men were from southern Oregon, and it appeared that they knew each other, the sheriff's office said.

Deputy Juan Elenes told investigators that he was speaking with Guerra through an open bedroom window when Guerrero, his face bloody, entered the bedroom.

Elenes told Guerrero several times to stop and leave the bedroom but he refused. He said Guerrero grabbed Guerra from behind and held a knife to his throat.

Elenes then drew his handgun and commanded Guerrero several times to drop the knife. Thinking Guerrero was about to kill Guerra, Elenes fired once, striking Guerrero once in the head. An autopsy found that at the time of his death Guerrero had a blood alcohol level of .25.

In the letter to Gordon, Bletko said he concluded that “the use of deadly force by Deputy Elenes was legally justified and therefore a grand jury review is not warranted in this case.”

According to the sheriff's office, Deputy Elenes, 28, has been with the sheriff's office for almost five years. He started in the jail division and transferred to the patrol division in 2007.